IJT, USF scuffle leaves 10 injured
Lahore, Dec 4: Around 200 Punjab University (PU) students staged a protest against the
Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT), after 10 students were injured in crossfire
between the IJT and the United Students Federation (USF) on Wednesday.

While
both parties alleged that they did not initiate the scuffle, Muslim Town Police
registered a case against the IJT activists on the complaint of USF activists.
The gunfight was caused by a struggle by both parties to occupy the PU
hostels.

Incident: Tensions between the IJT and the USF resulted in a
gunfight at PU hostel number 16. Iqbal Town Division Superintendent of Police
Suhail Chaudhry said that the USF lodged a protest against the IJT, and blocked
the road for two hours. He said that the protesting USF activists demanded the
arrest of those IJT members who thrashed two USF members some two days back. He
said that the students dispersed from the scene after recording their protest,
adding that the IJT activists retaliated by staging a protest soon afterwards at
the same place and blocked the road. He said that the IJT activists dispersed
from the scene as soon as police officials arrived. He said that more than 100
IJT activists reached hostel number 16 and fired at USF activists, adding that
two USF activists suffered bullet injuries while eight were injured in the
scuffle that followed. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where two of
them were declared in critical condition. He said that the police had registered
a case against IJT members on the complaint of USF members.

Consequently,
around 200 PU students organised a rally at the PU Law College only hours after
the incident. The protesting students gathered and marched towards various
departments of the varsity. Protesters were holding banners and posters, which
contained slogans against IJT activists. The protesters claimed that the IJT
activists opened fire on PU students, mainly belonging to the USF. The
protesting students finally gathered at Campus Bridge and blocked the road for
over three hours. A heavy contingent of the police reached the scene and failed
to disperse the protesters.

He said that IJT activists
entered his room and attacked him along with his friends. He said that they used
pistols and ammunition to scare rivals, and issued murder threats to various
students present. He demanded Governor Salmaan Taseer take action against those
responsible. He said that a case had been registered against Sabir Shah, Hafiz
Farhan Ahmed, Abdul Majir, Ghazi Butt, Ziaullah, Usman Hailey and some
unidentified IJT members. The Insaf Students Federation (ISF) condemned the IJT
attacks. PU ISF convener Kamram Khan said that he would not allow anyone to
convert PU hostels into terrorist headquarters. He said that owing to PU
administrations' wrong policies, the lives of students were at risk. He demanded
the PU vice-chancellor to take action against those responsible.

PU Student
Advisor Dr Makshoof Ahmed said that he informed the police of the elements
involved in the incident. He said that the varsity administration was taking
steps to eradicate the university of such elements.

IJT denies involvement:
In order to counter the cases registered against them, the Islami
Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) held a press conference that was chaired by IJT Nazim for
PU Qaiser Sharif. Qaiser alleged that the USF had been divided into two
different groups. He alleged that the clash took place between the two groups of
the USF, and denied any involvement of IJT in the mishap.

Taseer orders action against hooligans in PU
Lahore: Governor Salmaan Taseer on Wednesday directed the Punjab
inspector general (IG) and the vice-chancellor of the Punjab University (PU) to
take legal action against those involved in the torture of PU students. He
ordered this while visiting the university's injured students at the Jinnah
Hospital. He said that the police had found the involvement of a religious
organisation in violence. He ordered IG Shaukat Javed to present a report to him
within 24 hours and establish a police checkpost in the university, if needed.
He also told the IG to launch a crackdown in the university to expel illegal
occupants from hostels. Taseer said that he and the Punjab chief minister were
unanimously against any kind of hooliganism in the university. Daily Times

Your Comments
"no doubtIJT hooliganism has turned the campus into an hell,, the recent event of violence by its hooligans is worst of its type,,,they are the hypcritic people,, they mislead the media and common people by making false and baseless hypocritic statements...........their role in the punjab univeristy is similar as of MQM in karachi univeristy."
Name: ahmad
Email: geoman_137@hotmail.com
City, Country:lahore,pakistan

"What going on in campus shamful, but the sad point of the matter is that university administration become a party. Administration is not acting catalyst. The whole game seems as to crush one group. The incident happened in last month one activist of IJT beaten by USF student and university administration released picture of kamran mujahid with those student involved in beating IJT people. I am sure if university administration remain impartial the situation would be calm. If administration will act like party and continue favouring a group (USF) situation would not settele down."
Name: ALI
Email: hellopk@yahoo.com
City, Country:Lahore,pakistan

"It is sure that ISLAMI JAMIAT TALBA,is a religious and student welfare organization.anyone can study its history.i think IJT is not involved in this case but the GOVERNOR PUNJAB AND UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION ARE trying to involve IJT.YOU CAN THINK OF GOVERNOR PUNJAB VISIT TO USF SYUDENTS AT JINNAH HOSPITAL."
Name: sajid
Email: gogi_999@hotmail.com
City, Country:Lahore,pakistan

"IJT is a party who is spreading terrorism by using the name of peaceful religion islam. They are trying to push back every sound that will come against to the so called policies oj jamiat which is totally irrelevant from the religious and moral aspects. theyare just beast. there is no humanity in the members of IJT. they are are totally unaware of the teaching of Islam as well as Civilzed society. In the matter firing it is 100% sure that it is done by the so called Muslims. who are animal in nature."
Name: Ra
Email: virgo_great@hotmail.com
City, Country:Lahore,pakistan

"Islami Jamiat Talaba is a religious and welfare organization. It is for the betterment of the students but some anti islamic organizations like MQM did not like it. Without Jamiat we are not able to send our sisters daughters in university. Due to Jamiat there is specially in Punjab University Lahore Old campus and also New Campus very nice envoironment. Every nice person must love jamiat but every bad guy must hate Jamiat. Sardar Ishtiaq Nasir, Hafeez Tahir, Azhar Baloch, Haji Ayub, Salman Bhi, Rana Zahid Navid, Rana Asif, Ali waraich and all other students of Jamiat are very nice by character and on nice jobs due to Islami Jamiat Talaba guidence and character building programmes and taraining. So, please if your are a student of Punjab University must join IJT for your character building. Thanks."
Name: Muhammad Azhar Baloch
Email: azharbloch@gmail.com
City, Country: Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Violence on campus
Lahore: The case involving the beating and torture of a student at a Punjab University
hostel is a grave one. Though it has denied involvement, the Islami
Jamiat-e-Tulaba (IJT) seems to be behind the incident. The handful of persons
against whom a case has been registered are all reported to be affiliated with
the group. These persons, who included at least one 'non-student', entered a
hostel at the University New Campus and began beating up the president of the
United Students Federation (USF), a group opposed to the IJT. Students who
attempted to defend him were roughed up and blindfolded, in what appeared to be
a kidnapping attempt. One was seriously injured and had to be taken to hospital.
The culprits then fled. The police have so far failed to apprehend them.

The unsavoury incident is a part of the IJT's increasingly desperate
efforts to retain its hold on the PU. Over the past year, this hold has been
challenged by rival student groups determined to end the IJT's long reign of
terror. During this time, the group has attempted to impose its own harsh code
of morality on the institute, preventing theatrical functions from being staged
and threatening male students socializing with female peers. The fact that a
great many students oppose the IJT and its thuggish behaviour has been clear.
Several hundred students blocked the road after the attack on the hostel to
protest the incident. Since 2007, there has also been a greater willingness by
University authorities to take on the IJT. This latest outrage demonstrates why
it is essential that they succeed in this. As a place of learning, the PU must
be rescued from the IJT which has suffocated life within it for far too long.
This has affected both academic and co-curricular life on the campus. Many of
the best teachers have already left due to this environment. The police too must
play a part in ensuring that those behind the latest act of violence are
apprehended and a clear message sent out that such criminals will not be allowed
to go unpunished.

Language courses at Punjab University
Lahore: The Punjab University Oriental College has announced that one-year
diploma in many Oriental and European languages, which were taught only at the
Allama-Iqbal (Old) Campus of the college, are now also offered at the
Quaid-e-Azam Campus (New Campus) on the old premises of the College of Earth and
Environmental Sciences (CEES).

According to a press release here on
Wednesday, German, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Turkish, Italian and
Persian classes are offered in the afternoon sessions and they are open to all,
including the registered students of the University of the Punjab. The first
session of the Language-Diploma course saw a huge interest by the student
community and over 240 students were registered for various languages within a
few days.

The PU students welcomed the courses as they were able to
easily integrate the study of various languages into their existing timetables.

Faculty of Oriental Learning Dean Prof Dr Muhammad Saleem Mazhar said
the learning of foreign languages was indeed important especially for the
student community to enhance their capabilities in an ever-growing competitive
environment.

Oriental College Principal Prof Dr Mazhar Moeen said that
this was just beginning; the infrastructure was now in place to keep these
courses running and even expanding at the New Campus. The News

18 female teachers threaten suicide: A Matter of four-month salary
Gujranwala: Eighteen female teachers of the Municipal Girls School
have threatened to commit suicide if they are not paid their four-month salary
before Eidul Azha.

At a meeting held here on Wednesday presided over by
Punjab Municipal Teachers Union President Rana Iqbal, the teachers said they
were facing acute financial crunch owing to non-payment of their
salaries.

They said their salaries were withheld without any
justification by the school administration, which was causing a great deal of
inconvenience to them and their dependents. Dawn